Domain name acquisition and management system and method

• US 7,418,471 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Web.com Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SnapNames.com, Inc.
• Inventors: King, Raymond, Bayles, Len Albert, Wiener, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALL, EL HADJI MALICK
• Application Number:
  US10/016,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,490 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/207, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/217, 707/3
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of the present invention can accept an indication of a domain name or set of domain names from interested entity. The desired domain names are names that an interested entity desires to register through a domain name registration system or systems, such as that operated by a registry-accredited registrar. The system can closely monitor the domain name registry or registrar databases used to provide domain name resolution or registration over a distributed network, such as the Internet, and determine the expiration or availability of the name or names supplied by the interested entity. When a desired domain name appears to be available, the system can register or re-register the domain name through a domain registration service. If there is more than one interested entity for a domain name, the system can also facilitate an auction for the domain name.

Claims

1. A method for domain name management comprising:

identifying a domain name with a first registration;

identifying an interested party desiring a succeeding registration for the domain name;

monitoring a status of the first registration;

immediately and automatically effecting the succeeding registration to the interested party as soon as possible after the status of the first registration indicates that the domain name is registrable, without further action by the interested party, so as to effect the succeed mci registration of the name to the interested party before any other party can obtain a registration of the name;

wherein said immediately and automatically effecting the succeeding registration includes determining an expected deletion date for the first registration;

defining a time period on or about the expected deletion date for monitoring the status; and

periodically checking the status within the time period so as to detect the domain name status change as soon as possible after it occurs, and

wherein said checking includes checking the status at a predefined frequency during the time period, and further including predicting an earliest moment of registrability for the domain name based on the expected deletion date; and

increasing the frequency of said checking, proximate to the predicted earliest moment of registrability.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said checking includes pinging a registrar.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said checking includes substantially contemporaneous pinging of multiple registrars.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said checking includes pinging a registry.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said checking includes receiving a communication pushed from a registrars.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said checking includes receiving a communication from a registry.